IMPORTANT: These Terms and Conditions govern your use of our website and the purchase of products from us. Please read them carefully before placing an order. By using our website or placing an order, you agree to be bound by these Terms. These Terms do not affect your statutory rights as a consumer.

IMPORTANT: This website sells alcoholic beverages. You must be aged 18 or over to purchase from us. It is an offence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol if you are under 18.

 

1. About Us & Governing Law

Black Distilleries Ltd t/a Black Thistle Spirits is a company registered in Scotland, United Kingdom. Our registered office address, company registration number, and VAT registration number are available upon request and are set out on our invoices and order confirmations.

These Terms and Conditions are governed by Scots law. The courts of Scotland shall have exclusive jurisdiction to resolve any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms, their subject matter, or their formation, unless you are a consumer resident in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, in which case you may also bring proceedings in the courts of your home jurisdiction.

If you wish to contact us, please use the following details:

• Email: hello@blackthistlespirits.com
• Post: Unit 8A-8B, Brechin Business Park, West Road, Brechin, DD9 6RJ
• Telephone: 01356 622844 – Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

2. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following words and phrases have the meanings set out below:

 

Term	Definition
“We” / “Us” / “Our”	Black Thistle Spirits is a company registered in Scotland, and the operator of this website.
“You” / “Your”	The individual customer placing an order or accessing our website.
“Website”	The e-commerce website operated by Highland Spirits Co. through which products are sold.
“Products”	Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and related goods offered for sale on the Website.
“Order”	A request by you to purchase one or more Products, submitted through the Website.
“Contract”	The legally binding agreement formed between us when we send you an Order Confirmation.
“Order Confirmation”	The email we send to confirm that your Order has been accepted and is being processed.
“Consumer”	An individual purchasing Products for personal use outside of any trade, business, or profession.
“Working Day”	Monday to Friday, excluding Scottish and UK public holidays.

 

3. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using our Website, or by placing an Order, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, together with our Privacy and Cookie Policy and any other policies referenced herein.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use our Website or place an Order. We recommend you save or print a copy of these Terms for your records.

We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time. Any changes will take effect from the date they are posted on the Website. If you have already placed an Order, the Terms in force at the time of your Order will apply to that transaction.

4. Eligibility to Purchase

4.1 Age Requirement

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase any Products from us. By placing an Order, you are making a legal declaration that:

• You are at least 18 years of age;
• The intended recipient of any delivery is at least 18 years of age;
• You will not make our Products available to any person under 18 years of age.

It is a criminal offence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol if you are under 18, or to purchase alcohol on behalf of a person under 18 (known as proxy purchasing). We reserve the right to cancel any Order where we reasonably believe this condition has not been met.

4.2 Residency & Delivery Area

Our Website is intended for use by customers based in the United Kingdom. We do not accept Orders from outside the United Kingdom unless we have expressly agreed otherwise in writing. We reserve the right to decline Orders from any jurisdiction at our sole discretion.

5. Use of Our Website

5.1 Permitted Use

You may use our Website only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

• Use the Website in any way that violates any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation;
• Transmit any unsolicited or unauthorised advertising or promotional material;
• Knowingly transmit any data, send or upload any material that contains viruses or any other malicious code;
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of our Website, server, database, or systems;
• Misrepresent your identity, age, or any other information when creating an account or placing an Order;
• Scrape, copy, or otherwise extract content from the Website for commercial purposes without our prior written consent.

5.2 Account Registration

You may browse our Website without registering an account. To place an Order, you may choose to create an account or check out as a guest. If you create an account, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorised use of your account.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any account that we believe is being used fraudulently, in breach of these Terms, or in a way that may cause harm to us or other customers.

5.3 Website Availability

We do not guarantee that our Website will always be available or free from errors, interruptions, or security vulnerabilities. We may suspend, withdraw, or restrict access to all or any part of the Website for operational, technical, or commercial reasons without notice. We will not be liable to you if our Website is unavailable at any time.

6. Products, Descriptions & Pricing

6.1 Product Information

We take reasonable care to ensure that product descriptions, images, unit information, and other content on our Website are accurate and up to date. However, we do not warrant that such information is entirely complete, accurate, or error-free. Product images are for illustrative purposes only; the actual product may vary slightly from what is shown (for example, in vintage, label design, or packaging).

6.2 Pricing

All prices displayed on the Website are in pounds sterling (GBP) and include VAT at the applicable rate unless otherwise stated. Delivery charges are additional and are shown clearly at checkout before you complete your Order.

We reserve the right to change our prices at any time without prior notice. However, the price confirmed in your Order Confirmation is the price you will pay, regardless of any subsequent price change, subject to Clause 6.3 below.

6.3 Pricing Errors

While we take every care to ensure accurate pricing, errors may occasionally occur. If we discover a pricing error after you have placed an Order, we will contact you as soon as reasonably practicable to inform you. You will then have the option to:

• Proceed with your Order at the correct price; or
• Cancel your Order and receive a full refund.

We are under no obligation to supply Products at an incorrect price, even if we have sent an Order Confirmation. If we cannot contact you, we will cancel the Order and refund any payments made.

6.4 Availability

All Orders are subject to product availability. We cannot guarantee that all Products shown on the Website are in stock at the time of your Order. If a Product becomes unavailable after you have placed an Order, we will contact you to offer a suitable alternative or a full refund. We will not be liable to you for any loss or inconvenience arising from unavailability.

6.5 Alcohol by Volume (ABV)

All Products containing alcohol display the relevant ABV (Alcohol by Volume) percentage on the product page. You are responsible for being aware of the ABV of the Products you purchase and for ensuring responsible consumption.

7. Placing Orders & Formation of Contract

7.1 Placing an Order

By completing the checkout process and clicking ‘Place Order’ (or equivalent), you are making an offer to purchase the Products in your basket at the prices shown. No contract is formed at this point.

7.2 Order Confirmation

A Contract between you and us is only formed when we send you an Order Confirmation by email. The Order Confirmation will set out the details of your Order, including the Products ordered, total price (including VAT and delivery), and estimated delivery date.

You should review your Order Confirmation carefully. If any details are incorrect, please contact us within 24 hours of receipt so that we can attempt to make amendments before dispatch.

7.3 Our Right to Decline an Order

We reserve the right to decline, cancel, or limit any Order at any time, including after sending an Order Confirmation, where:

• A Product is out of stock or no longer available;
• We are unable to verify your age or payment details;
• There has been a pricing, product description, or technical error;
• We have reasonable grounds to believe the Order is fraudulent, or involves proxy purchasing of alcohol on behalf of a minor;
• Fulfilling the Order would breach any applicable law, regulation, or licence condition;
• You have previously breached these Terms.

If we decline or cancel an Order after payment has been taken, we will issue a full refund promptly.

7.4 Amendments to Orders

Once an Order has been placed, we cannot guarantee that amendments can be made. If you wish to change or cancel your Order, please contact us as soon as possible at hello@blackthistlespirits.com. We will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request, but we cannot guarantee changes once the Order has been dispatched.

8. Payment

We accept the payment methods displayed at checkout, which may include major debit and credit cards, and other payment options. All transactions are processed securely via our third-party payment provider. We do not store full card details on our systems.

Payment is taken at the time you place your Order. If your payment is declined or fails, your Order will not be processed and no Contract will be formed. Please contact your bank or card issuer in the first instance if you experience payment difficulties.

We may carry out fraud screening checks on transactions. We reserve the right to decline any transaction that our payment provider or fraud screening systems flag as suspicious.

9. Delivery

Delivery of Products is subject to our Shipping Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference and available on our Website. Key points are summarised below.

9.1 Delivery Timescales

We aim to dispatch Orders within 1-2 Working Days of receiving payment. Estimated delivery timescales are shown at checkout and in your Order Confirmation. These are estimates only; we do not guarantee delivery on a specific date. Time is not of the essence for delivery, except where you have paid for an express or nominated-day delivery service.

9.2 Risk & Ownership

Ownership and risk in the Products pass to you once the Products have been delivered to the delivery address provided in your Order. Until delivery, the Products remain our property and at our risk.

If delivery is refused or fails through no fault of ours (for example, because no adult was available to accept the delivery, or identification could not be provided), risk remains with you from the time of the failed delivery attempt.

9.3 Incorrect Delivery Address

It is your responsibility to provide a complete and accurate delivery address. We cannot accept liability for Orders that are lost, delayed, or undeliverable as a result of an incorrect or incomplete address provided by you. Additional delivery charges may apply if re-delivery is required.

9.4 Delivery to a Person Under 18

By placing an Order, you confirm that the delivery address is a location where a responsible adult aged 18 or over will be available to receive the delivery. We will not deliver alcohol to any person we reasonably believe to be under 18, or to any location where only persons under 18 are present.

10. Cancellations, Returns & Refunds

Your rights to cancel, return goods, and receive a refund are set out in full in our Delivery, Refund & Returns Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference and available on our Website. Key provisions are summarised below.

10.1 Your Right to Cancel

As a Consumer, you have a statutory right to cancel your Order within 14 calendar days of receiving your Products under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, without giving a reason. To exercise this right, you must notify us in writing before the 14-day period expires.

10.2 Conditions for Return

To be eligible for a refund under the right to cancel, Products must be returned in their original, unopened, and undamaged condition within 14 days of your cancellation notice. We are unable to accept returns of opened, partially consumed, or tampered Products for health and safety and legal resale reasons.

10.3 Faulty or Incorrect Goods

Your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply to all Products. If you receive Products that are faulty, damaged in transit, or not as described, you are entitled to a repair, replacement, or full refund as appropriate. Please refer to our Delivery, Refund & Returns Policy for full details and timescales.

10.4 Refund Processing

Where a refund is due, we will process it to your original payment method within 14 days of receiving the returned Products (or such other period as stated in our Refund & Returns Policy). We reserve the right to deduct any diminution in value of the Products if they are returned in a condition other than as required.

11. Responsible Alcohol Consumption

We are committed to the responsible retail and promotion of alcohol. We support the Scottish Government and UK Government public health guidance on alcohol consumption.

The Chief Medical Officers for the UK recommend that adults who drink regularly should consume no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread across three or more days, with several alcohol-free days. We display unit information on our product pages where possible.

We will not supply alcohol to any person who we have reason to believe is purchasing on behalf of a minor, is already intoxicated, or whose purchase we believe may contribute to harm.

If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s relationship with alcohol, the following organisations can provide support:

• Drink Aware: www.drinkaware.co.uk | 0300 123 1110
• Alcohol Focus Scotland: www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk
• NHS Inform (Scotland): www.nhsinform.scot
• Alcoholics Anonymous: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk | 0800 9177 650

12. Intellectual Property

All content on our Website, including but not limited to text, graphics, photographs, logos, trademarks, product descriptions, and software, is owned by or licensed to Black Thistle Spirits and is protected by UK and international intellectual property laws.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and use the Website for personal, non-commercial purposes only. You may not reproduce, republish, download, store, transmit, copy, adapt, distribute, or otherwise exploit any content from our Website for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent.

Nothing in these Terms transfers any intellectual property rights to you. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

13. Liability & Disclaimers

13.1 Our Liability to You

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, our total liability to you in connection with any Contract or these Terms shall not exceed the total price paid by you for the Products giving rise to the claim.

We are not liable for any indirect, consequential, special, incidental, or punitive losses or damages, including but not limited to loss of profit, loss of business, loss of data, or loss of opportunity, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such losses.

13.2 Exceptions

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by our negligence;
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
• Any breach of the terms implied by sections 9-11 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (title, satisfactory quality, fitness for purpose, and description);
• Any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under Scots or UK law.

13.3 Website Disclaimer

Our Website is provided on an ‘as is’ and ‘as available’ basis. We make no warranties, express or implied, that the Website will be continuously available, error-free, or free from viruses or other harmful components. You are responsible for ensuring your own equipment and systems are adequately protected.

We are not responsible for the content of any third-party websites linked to or from our Website. A link to a third-party website does not constitute our endorsement of that site or its content.

13.4 Force Majeure

We will not be in breach of these Terms or liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations where such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemic, war, civil unrest, governmental action, industrial action, failure of third-party services (including couriers or payment processors), or supply chain disruption. In such circumstances, we will use reasonable endeavours to notify you and will resume performance as soon as reasonably practicable.

14. Alcohol Licensing & Regulatory Compliance

Black Thistle Spirits holds all necessary licences for the online sale of alcohol under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Our Premises Licence and the name of our Designated Premises Manager are available on request. We operate strictly within the terms of our licence.

We do not supply alcohol for resale through this Website. All Orders placed through the Website must be for personal or domestic use only. Resellers, wholesalers, or trade customers must contact us separately to discuss trade account arrangements.

We comply with all applicable laws regarding the advertising and promotion of alcohol, including the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) and the Portman Group Code of Practice.

15. Privacy & Data Protection

Our collection and use of your personal data is governed by our Privacy & Cookie Policy, which forms part of these Terms and is available on our Website. By using our Website or placing an Order, you acknowledge that we will process your personal data in accordance with that policy and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

16. Third Party Rights

These Terms are between you and Black Thistle Spirits only. Nothing in these Terms is intended to confer any rights on any third party under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. This does not affect any right or remedy that a third party may have independently of these Terms.

17. Severance

If any provision of these Terms is found by a court or other authority of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal, and enforceable. If such modification is not possible, the relevant provision shall be severed from these Terms. The validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected.

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with our Privacy & Cookie Policy, Shipping Policy, and Refund & Returns Policy (all as published on our Website from time to time), constitute the entire agreement between you and us in relation to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior representations, agreements, negotiations, or understandings, whether written or oral.

You acknowledge that you have not relied on any representation or statement not set out in these Terms when entering into a Contract with us.

19. Waiver

A failure or delay by either party to exercise or enforce any right or remedy under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy. Any waiver must be in writing and shall apply only to the specific circumstances for which it is given.

20. Complaints & Dispute Resolution

We take all customer complaints seriously. If you are unhappy with any aspect of your experience, please contact us in the first instance:

• Email: hello@blackthistlespirits.com

We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 Working Days and aim to resolve it within 14 Working Days.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you may refer it to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider. Details will be provided upon request. You may also use the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform established by the European Commission, accessible at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/, where applicable.

Your statutory rights, including the right to bring proceedings in the Scottish or UK courts, are not affected by this complaints procedure.

These Terms and Conditions were last updated on 23 March 2026.

 

Privacy and Cookie Policy

1. Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data about you in the following ways:

1.1 Data You Provide Directly

• Identity data: full name, date of birth (for age verification)
• Contact data: email address, telephone number, billing and delivery addresses
• Account data: username, password (stored encrypted), order history, preferences
• Payment data: payment card details (processed securely by our payment provider — we do not store full card numbers)
• Communications data: messages, emails, or enquiries you send us
• Marketing preferences: your opt-in or opt-out choices for marketing communications

1.2 Data We Collect Automatically

• Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system
• Usage data: pages visited, time spent on site, referring URLs, clickstream data
• Cookie data: see Section 9 (Cookie Policy) for full details

1.3 Data from Third Parties

• Payment verification data from our payment processor (e.g., fraud risk scores)
• Age verification data from third-party verification services where used
• Delivery confirmation and tracking data from our courier partners

We do not collect or process any special category data (such as health, ethnicity, or biometric data) unless you choose to provide it in a communication to us, in which case it will only be used to respond to your query.

2. Age Verification & Alcohol Sales

As a retailer of alcoholic beverages, we are legally required under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to take reasonable steps to verify that customers are aged 18 or over. We collect and process date of birth information for this purpose.

Age verification data is processed on the legal basis of compliance with a legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c) UK GDPR). We may use third-party age verification services to assist with this process. Where we do so, we share only the minimum data necessary, and those providers are contractually bound to process it solely for verification purposes.

We do not retain age verification records beyond what is necessary for compliance purposes.

3. Legal Bases for Processing

Under the UK GDPR, we must have a valid legal basis for processing your personal data. The table below sets out the purposes for which we process your data and the legal basis we rely on for each.

 

Purpose of Processing	Legal Basis (UK GDPR)	Retention Period
Processing your order & payment	Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b))	7 years (legal/tax obligation)
Age verification & compliance	Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c))	Duration of order + 2 years
Creating and managing your account	Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b))	Duration of account + 3 years
Sending order confirmations & updates	Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b))	3 years from last transaction
Marketing emails (opted-in)	Consent (Art. 6(1)(a))	Until consent withdrawn
Fraud prevention & security	Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f))	Up to 6 years
Website analytics & improvement	Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f))	26 months (anonymised)
Responding to complaints/enquiries	Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f))	3 years from resolution
Legal claims & regulatory compliance	Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c))	Up to 7 years

 

Where we rely on legitimate interests as a legal basis, we have conducted a balancing test to ensure our interests do not override your rights and freedoms. You may request a copy of any such balancing test by contacting us.

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

4.1 To Fulfil Your Order

We use your personal data to process and fulfil your purchases, including verifying your age, processing payment, arranging delivery, and communicating with you about your order. This is necessary for the performance of our contract with you.

4.2 To Manage Your Account

If you create an account, we use your data to manage that account, allow you to view order history, save delivery addresses, and manage your preferences.

4.3 Marketing Communications

With your consent, we may send you marketing emails about new products, offers, and promotions. You can withdraw your consent and unsubscribe at any time by:

• Clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in any marketing email;
• Emailing hello@blackthistlespirits.com;
• Updating your preferences in your account settings.

We will never send you unsolicited marketing text messages or calls without your explicit consent.

4.4 To Improve Our Website & Services

We use anonymised and aggregated usage and analytics data to understand how customers use our website, identify areas for improvement, and develop new features. This does not involve making decisions about you individually.

4.5 Fraud Prevention & Security

We process certain technical and transactional data to detect and prevent fraudulent activity, chargebacks, and misuse of our services. This is in our legitimate interests and those of our customers.

4.6 Compliance with Legal Obligations

We process data where required to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, including alcohol licensing law, tax obligations, and responding to lawful requests from public authorities.

5. Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We share your data only where necessary, with the following categories of recipients:

5.1 Service Providers (Data Processors)

We use trusted third-party service providers who process data on our behalf and under our instruction. These include:

• Payment processors (e.g., Stripe, Worldpay) — to handle card transactions securely
• Courier and delivery partners — to arrange and track delivery of your order
• Email service providers — to send transactional and marketing emails
• Website hosting and cloud infrastructure providers
• Age verification service providers — to verify that customers are aged 18 or over
• Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics) — to understand website usage

All service providers are bound by data processing agreements and are prohibited from using your data for any purpose other than providing services to us.

5.2 Legal & Regulatory Disclosure

We may disclose your personal data to law enforcement agencies, courts, regulators (including licensing authorities), or other public bodies where required to do so by law, or where necessary to protect our legal rights.

5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a sale, merger, or restructuring of our business, your personal data may be transferred to the new owner as part of the assets of the business. We will notify you of any such change and your rights in that event.

6. International Data Transfers

We aim to keep your data within the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). Where we use service providers based outside the UK or EEA, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• The UK government’s adequacy decision for the relevant country;
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the ICO or European Commission;
• Binding Corporate Rules or other approved transfer mechanisms.

You can request details of any international transfers and the safeguards in place by contacting us.

7. Your Data Protection Rights

Under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right of Access

You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (a Subject Access Request). We will respond within one calendar month. There is no charge for this unless requests are manifestly unfounded or excessive.

Right to Rectification

You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.

Right to Erasure (‘Right to be Forgotten’)

In certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal data — for example, where we no longer need it for the purpose it was collected, or where you withdraw consent. This right is not absolute and may be limited by legal obligations (e.g., we are required to retain financial records for 7 years).

Right to Restriction of Processing

You can ask us to restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances, such as while a dispute about accuracy is resolved.

Right to Data Portability

Where processing is based on consent or contract, you can ask us to provide your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format so you can transfer it to another provider.

Right to Object

You can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including profiling and direct marketing. We must stop processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your rights.

Right to Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on your consent (e.g., marketing emails), you can withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making

You have the right not to be subject to decisions made solely by automated means that have a significant effect on you. We do not currently use solely automated decision-making in a way that produces legal or similarly significant effects on customers.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@highlandspirits.co.uk. We will respond within one calendar month, though complex requests may take up to three months.

Your rights may be limited in certain circumstances — for example, where we need to retain data to comply with a legal obligation or defend a legal claim. We will always explain if this applies.

8. Cookie Policy

8.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit, make the site work more efficiently, and provide reporting information to us. Some cookies are essential to the operation of the website; others are used for analytics, functionality, or marketing purposes.

8.2 Our Cookie Consent Approach

In accordance with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) and the ICO’s guidance, we will ask for your consent before placing any non-essential cookies on your device. Essential cookies necessary for the website to function will be placed without consent. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time via the cookie settings link in the footer of our website.

8.3 Cookies We Use

The table below sets out the categories of cookies used on our website, their purpose, and how long they are retained.

 

Cookie Name / Category	Type	Purpose	Retention
session_id	Essential	Maintains your shopping session and basket contents	Session (deleted on browser close)
auth_token	Essential	Keeps you logged in to your account securely	30 days
age_verified	Essential	Records that age verification has been completed for this session	Session
csrf_token	Essential	Protects against cross-site request forgery attacks	Session
cookie_consent	Essential	Remembers your cookie preferences	12 months
_ga / _gid (Google Analytics)	Analytics	Tracks website usage, page views, and traffic sources to help us improve the site	26 months / 24 hours
_fbq (Facebook Pixel)	Marketing	Tracks conversions from Facebook ads and builds advertising audiences (requires consent)	90 days
_hs (HubSpot)	Functionality / Marketing	Supports customer communication tools and tracks marketing interactions (requires consent)	13 months
Hotjar / hj*	Analytics	Records anonymised user session data for UX analysis (requires consent)	12 months

 

The specific cookies in use on our website may change from time to time as we update our technology partners. Please check this page regularly for the most up-to-date information. Our cookie consent banner will always reflect the current cookies in use.

8.4 Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies are set by third-party services that appear on our pages (such as embedded maps, social media sharing buttons, or payment providers). We do not control these cookies and recommend reviewing the privacy and cookie policies of those third parties directly.

8.5 Managing & Withdrawing Cookie Consent

You can manage your cookie preferences in the following ways:

• Via the cookie preferences centre on our website (accessible from the footer);
• Through your browser settings — most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note that blocking essential cookies may affect the functionality of our website;
• For Google Analytics specifically, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

Please be aware that if you delete all cookies, your cookie preferences will also be deleted and you will be asked to consent again on your next visit.

9. Data Security

We take the security of your personal data seriously and have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against accidental loss, unauthorised access, use, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL protocols;
• Encrypted storage of passwords and sensitive data at rest;
• Access controls restricting data access to authorised personnel only;
• Regular security reviews and penetration testing;
• Staff training on data protection and information security;
• Contractual data protection obligations on all third-party processors.

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the ICO within 72 hours and will contact you directly where required.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. The key retention periods are set out in the legal basis table in Section 4.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised. Customer account data is retained for the duration of your account plus 3 years following closure, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

You can request deletion of your account and associated data at any time (subject to legal retention obligations) by contacting hello@blackthistlespirits.com.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our website and products are intended solely for persons aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, please contact us immediately at hello@blackthistlespirits.com and we will delete it promptly.

As part of our age verification process, we collect date of birth to confirm eligibility to purchase. This data is not used for any other purpose and is not shared with third parties beyond what is necessary for verification.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy & Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the ‘Effective Date’ at the top of this document;
• Post a notice on our website or send you an email notification where appropriate;
• Where required by law, seek your consent before applying significant changes.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact & Complaints

For any questions, concerns, or requests relating to your personal data or this policy, please contact us:

• Email: hello@blackthistlespirits.com
• Post: Unit 8A-8B, Brechin Business Park, West Road, Brechin, DD9 6RJ
• Telephone: 01356 622844 – Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

 

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

• Website: www.ico.org.uk
• Telephone: 0303 123 1113
• Post: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

 

This Privacy & Cookie Policy was last updated on 23 March 2026.

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